Bodies of 16 puppies were recovered from a garbage dump inside Nil Ratan Sarkar Medical College and Hospital in north Kolkata.
An FIR against unknown persons has been registered under Section 429 (killing or maiming of animals) of Indian Penal Code among other charges at Entally police station. The hospital authorities on Monday set up a three-member committee to probe the matter.
On Sunday, a video of two women beating up puppies with sticks near the nursing section of the State-run hospital started doing the rounds on social media.
Crime spot identified
Dwaipayan Biswas, Deputy Superintendent of NRS Medical College and Hospital who is heading the three-member committee, said that he has been able to identify the spot in the video where the puppies were beaten up. He assured that action will be taken if any employee or student of the hospital is found involved in the crime.
Post-mortem of the puppies ruled out any poisoning and preliminary investigation revealed that the puppies died due to injuries caused by beating.
The incident has sent shock waves across the cities. Protests were organised outside the hospital where scores of animal lovers held posters and placards demanding arrest of those responsible for the crime.
This is not the first time when cruelty against dogs has come to the fore in and around Kolkata. In May 2016, a housing society in the city was accused of killing over a dozen dogs and in January 2017 carcasses of over 20 stray dogs were found at an under-construction site in Baranagar.
